The key to an asthma safe home is cleanliness and freshness. You shouldn’t let it overwhelm you since we’re all human and have a lot of other responsibilities. But there are a few simple measures that can make a big difference. Paying attention to any mold, residue or bacteria that may accumulate anywhere such as refraining from leaving food or dirty dishes lying around and keeping garbage containers closed, can be a huge deterrence.

Animals are a big asthma trigger. The hair itself does not trigger allergies rather mites, pollen, dander and mold do. Some things to do instead of having to get rid of a pet are to keep it outside and not in the same room as the person with asthma, and to wash and brush it every week.

Use air conditioning rather than leaving windows open. The air conditioning keeps clean air flowing rather than fresh air which might contain pollen or dust particles.

Keep everything clean from the bedding, the counter-tops, to the air conditioning vents. Keep dust out of the house by cleaning often. Choose bedding with synthetic materials and wash every few weeks or as often as every week in hot water. Avoid carpeting as it tends to accumulate dust and other particles and make sure rugs are washable.

Eliminate commercial cleaning products because baking soda and white vinegar can be used to clean most household products. If using commercial cleaning products make sure they say “low VOCs.” Volatile organic compounds (VOC) can easily aggravate asthma symptoms.

And lastly, choose to smoke outside the house instead of inside.

The peanut allergy, that has been affecting the lives of Americans, may finally be coming
to an end! 4% of Americans, 3 million of which have been estimated to be children have
been living in fear of the lethal reaction to what ranges from shellfish to nuts
according to an article in USA Today by Rita Rubin. For the first time, various studies
are being conducted to test the immune systems of children for peanuts.

The need for a cure for food allergies, and specifically peanut allergies, has increased
due to the fact that the number of people with peanut allergies doubled over a recent
five-year period, from four in 1,000 people in 1997 to eight in 1,000 in 2002 according
to Robert Wood, MD, director of the division of pediatric allergy and immunology at Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

There are a number of kids who are finally able to start eating their first peanut butter
sandwiches. Five out of nine children with peanut allergies are free of their allergic
reactions.  Every day for two years children swallowed small doses of peanut protein
under doctor’s supervision and eventually were able to walk away without an allergic
reaction. Ann Munoz- Furlong who founded the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network reports
that “this is huge for the food allergy community.  We finally can say that probably in
10 years, the landscape will look very different than it does now.”

We all know good eating habits can go a long way for your health and your waistline, but has anyone ever considered that it may also help your allergies?

A study from the University of Aberdeen showed a negative correlation between diet and allergy symptoms, meaning the healthier you eat, the fewer symptoms you have. Scientists believe that increasing your antioxidant and Omega-3 fatty acid intake may help alleviate allergy symptoms. It is also worth noting that studies have shown most allergy patients have a low vitamin D level. So, perhaps, instead of reaching for that candy bowl, you should try snacking on fresh fruit and popping a fish oil and vitamin D pill. It just might help you breathe easier.

Similarly, a diet rich in food-additives may actually worsen allergy symptoms. A 2004 study published in the European Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology reported that subjects who were given a food-additive free diet had improved their allergy symptoms during a two week period. Some even reported they were symptom free! If you really want to derail your allergy symptoms, healthier, additive-free food options could make a huge difference.